The Difference
by Dezaria
Summary: Life is far from fair, but when you successfully protect those things precious to you... it's worth it in the end. Oneshot.


A/N: Go check out chunkymacaroni's deviantart site. Inspiration, seriously.  
Edited on 8 October, 2008.

Disclaimer: Oh, how I wish at times, but nope, not mine.

**The Difference**

Death is always a horrible occurrence. Necessary, but horrible all the same. As a shinobi you experience the happenings of death from all sides of the bloody spectrum. One of the most important beginning lessons beaten into a shinobi as a genin is that emotion is weakness. Regardless, as a human you cannot always look past your feelings. Coping mechanisms differ, just as human beings do. Some will strive, others break. There are always those that prefer denial as well.

However one comes to the lifestyle of a living weapon, there's always a balance. The closer you come to death's doors, the closer you realize just what life's truly about. It's all twisted together, good and evil. You find yourself merely a walking contradiction in a vastly small world.

So when you do happen upon something, or someone, special, you damn well better treasure the moment.

"Naruto! What did I tell you about gulping down water before training?" The unmistakable voice of one Haruno Sakura demanded petulantly.

The young man in question flinched before sheepishly scratching the back of his head. "Um... not to?" _Please don't hit me... again._

With her hands on her hips, Sakura walked over to her long time friend and team mate. Glaring... up at him. "Right. So, why did you?" _Again, _she thought morosely.

"Um..." Grasping at straws desperately, Naruto tried to come up with something reasonable. "Uh..." _Think like Kakashi-sensei, he's good with words. _He stood straighter with the courage only he could have facing Sakura's infamous fury. "Well, I was hungry, so it only seemed right to wash down my ramen with... uh..." Sakura's face was darkening. _Shit, think fast Naruto... you can do this! _"Shouldn't you drink some water after a meal?" He finished lamely.

"Eating before training is worse than drinking, baka!" Her angered words were punctuated by a sharp cry as Naruto went sailing into a tree._ Why? Why couldn't I have had Shikamaru and Chouji? I'd even settle for Lee at this point, _Sakura thought while she pinched the bridge of her nose.

Nevertheless, the two got down to business. Pure taijutsu, they decided.

Their sparring went on for a few hours before they were ready to consider a break. Of course Naruto wanted to just plop down and rest. Which is where Sakura, in full out 'medic-mode' Naruto liked to call it, lectured him about endorphins and muscle tissue. Sighing as she watched her lecture fly over her friend's head, the pink-haired kunoichi went about figuring out an alternative solution.

"Why don't we go swimming?" The question was out of her mouth before she had a chance to consider it. She watched his eyes roam, then he blushed and nodded enthusiastically.

All of Konoha heard the results.

oooo

Sakura returned from a mission during the summer, and reported her success to her shishou proudly. Unfortunately, nothing could prepare her for the news her mother-like Hokage told her. Her parents had been killed by a robber three nights ago. A robber, killed. _Three nights ago. _

Hyperventilating, she had dashed out of the office, not even hearing her name being yelled. She practically flew to her home and ripped past the caution tape. Eerily thick silence surrounded her, went through her, as she sprinted around the house. What she was looking for, she'd never find. Not ever again.

When she stumbled into her parent's bedroom she saw the blood. Blood was_ everywhere _it seemed. Sakura gagged on the intense smell and metallic taste. Desperately her stomach tried to repel the havoc it wrought on her senses.

She fled the room, but the image was already seared into her mind. At a loss of where to go, she tripped over the main room's carpet and fell to her hands and knees. She was emptying her stomach before she fully recovered from the fall. Tears burned her eyes and dropped to the floor to mix with her lost meal.

There was a rushed shuffle, and then familiar hands were holding her hair our of the way and rubbing her back soothingly. Naruto spoke calmly and told her that she could stay with him for as long as she needed. After the heaving ended, she collapsed into her dear friend. For once she had no problem with Naruto taking control.

The blonde held her protectively to his front as he quickly made his way to his apartment. Sakura, numb and hallow, listened to him ramble about how he was going to tuck her into bed and then go to the store. Embarrassed, Naruto admitted to his lack of food. "Unless you're fine with ramen, Sakura-chan."

For once, it did sound nice to Sakura. She needed something, anything, commonplace to ground her.

His caring nature wasn't surprising, really. He'd always been great to her, but she noticed the way he glared at anyone they passed who stopped to stare. Well, Naruto had always been protective, she supposed. It didn't quite explain his gentle touches, or why he kissed her forehead softly as he settled her into his bed. The act was too loving, brought back too many raw memories.

Tears began to trail down her temples and into her pink hair. Naruto was about to stand before a hand - her hand - grasped his shirt sleeve tightly. As little as that action appeared, he never thought that Sakura would cross the distance between them. Placing his hand over her's, Naruto silently let her know that he'd always be there.

"Thank you, Naruto." Sakura whispered, her voice choked. He met her soulful gaze and nodded, but when he turned to leave her grip tightened. "Stay- please, stay." _Don't leave me.  
_

So he did.

Surrounded in his wild scent, held in his strong arms, she fell into a deep sleep.

oooo

High up on the Hokage Mountain a certain pink-haired, medic nin laid atop Tsunade's head and stared up at the night sky. The stars shined down their cold beauty, yet they were always out of reach. The symbolism wasn't lost on the young woman. Surprisingly, Sakura hadn't thought about Sasuke in a couple of weeks. She wondered if she should feel guilty.

Pulling Naruto's jacket tighter around herself, she fought off the cool breeze. She had decided to move into Naruto's small apartment after trying to spend one night in her parent's house. Even though she couldn't live in her old home, she couldn't bare to sell it. Kakashi-sensei, Shikamaru, Chouji and Naruto cleaned the house while Ino and Lee helped pack her stuff to move. The memories brought a smile to Sakura's lips, she was blessed with such great friends.

Looking back up to the stars, she saw them in a different light. They were shining down their light to break up the darkness. If you were able to grab a star, then its light would die and its purpose would end._ It's still so tempting... _Sakura slowly reached up with an open hand.

"They're beautiful, huh?" It was Naruto. Her team mate, friend, and now room mate. They already were getting to know each other well, but now they were even picking up on each others' daily patterns.

"Yeah..." She saw him lay down beside her in her peripheral vision. "Why bother with good things in this world when they're never given a chance?"

Naruto frowned. It had become a favorite past time of Sakura's to ask philosophical questions right when he wasn't expecting it. "What do you mean?"

"This is a harsh world. You and I know that. So, why even bother with things as temporary as love?" Her voice was calm, completely bewildering Naruto.

"Because..." He paused, but then answered honestly, "because the good, temporary things like love is what makes us different from the harsh world."

He watched her lips turn upward and didn't even realize he was smiling as well. "Common, let's go home, Naruto."

oooo

One night, after failing to bring back their missing team mate once again, Sakura had given up on sleep. Restless and emotionally overwhelmed, the teenager quietly left the apartment for the training grounds in only her thin pajamas.

Recklessly causing destruction that she could see, could _feel, _had become her fall back on more than one occasion. She was sure it wouldn't be the last.

There was nothing but the crisp night air, her raging heart beat, and the satisfactory sound of splitting earth and cracking bark.

Unexpectedly, Naruto appeared in front of her when her fist was already flying to strike the closest tree. She pulled the punch before he needed to dodge and then, even more unexpectedly, he attacked. His knee hit her side solidly, sending her sideways before she caught herself. Looking up, wide eyed, she noticed his serious expression. Then the pain and loneliness residing in his once bright, blue eyes. He knew- no, more than knew. The realization warmed her, lit her on fire and then engulfed her. Always bouncing back so easily, she wasn't expecting him to completely understand how she felt.

In some unspoken agreement they met halfway, crashing into each other. Their mouths, as frantic as their hands, took in everything they could. She shivered when their tongues touched for the first time. He growled into her mouth when her hands, cool and bleeding, investigated under his shirt.

Somehow Naruto managed to somewhat gracefully lower them to the ground. He lifted his arms, allowing Sakura to remove his shirt. She threw it somewhere to the side and then her hands were back on his bare skin. Tan, and lean, and _masculine._ She moaned breathlessly into the crook of his neck, both hearing and feeling the resulting growl.

Then he was licking and kissing his way down her neck. She bit her lip to help herself concentrate on the sensual feelings he was stirring within her. His large hands were at her ribs and moving up, and up. Squirming, Sakura desperately tried to hurry the process. She needed to be touched _now_, dammit!

Her top was gone with one sharp tug. His breath, ragged and strained, was warm against her soft flesh. Calloused hands explored her newly bared skin. Sakura cried out when tentative fingers brushed over her nipple, and again when his warm mouth found her other nipple.

She unconsciously bucked her hips, wanting more. Nearly sobbing with pent up need, he finally ground his hardened length against her. When she heard Naruto's voice, breathy and deep and _begging_, say her name into her skin, she felt her soul strip bare and soar with yearning. They had been through so much together; so much because of and for each other. All the pieces were there, they just had never put them together. Until now. And _god, _but it felt wonderful. Her nails were probably drawing blood, but he didn't seem to mind.

Their mouths met again. She caught his lower lip with her teeth and pulled. He rubbed harder against her and they both moaned. Wanting more pressure, Sakura's legs wrapped tighter around his sides so she could grind herself harder against him. It still wasn't enough, and she wanted, craved, _needed more. _

She must have said so, because suddenly Naruto was removing his pants and then damn near ripping off her shorts and panties. Panting, and bracing himself on his forearms, Naruto took a moment to thoroughly look at the person he'd loved for so long. Her short, pink hair was a mess. He even noticed a few twigs here and there. Her face and chest were beautifully flushed, _because of him, _his mind reminded him. She was perfectly toned; skin smooth, even with the rare scars she had.

Looking up to meet Sakura's eyes, deep green, aglow with passion and unspent lust. He noticed she was glaring at him. He must have been staring for too long. "You're beautiful, Sakura-chan." He must've said something right for once, luckily. She was smiling softly and reaching for his face.

Naruto brought his lips to her's without hesitation. It felt _so good _to be able to hold her, touch her. Love her freely. Soon she was trailing her hand down his side and then guiding him across what little they hadn't shared together.

Naruto felt so lost he thought that, just maybe, he'd been found.

oooo

It wasn't at all how they expected it, Naruto and Sakura. After dragging the lone Uchiha's blood soaked, nearly dead (Sakura saved him from bleeding out) body back to Kohona they felt no change in his grim demeanor. There were no apologies, though they forgave him all the same. There were no thanks, though they would never require such a thing. After all the blood and tears they had shed, they were just glad it was over. Itachi was over, hell, most of Akatsuki was over. There was still some loose ends to deal with, but that would be taken care of.

Of course there was a trial. Many actually. All the technicalities took months to work out. Tsunade couldn't stand the brat. She really couldn't decide what irked her more; how disrespectful and arrogant he was, or how shitty he treated the people who cared for him.

A month into Sasuke's probation, where he was allowed no training besides D rank missions and couldn't leave Konoha, he ultimately decided to begin with his second life goal. After some careful consideration he figured Sakura would be his best choice. She had become quite well known in the time he was gone. Sasuke supposed she was more womanly, but that didn't really matter in the long run.

He finally found her at the end of the day. She was sitting on top of Tsunade's head on Hokage Mountain watching the sunset. Silently Sasuke joined her and noticed that she smiled slightly. The sight brought back more memories than he imagined it would.

"Sakura." She turned to face him, curious. "Do you still love me?" If it was anyone else Sakura would have laughed, but it was Sasuke. The Lone Uchiha. Her childhood crush asking her if she still felt strongly for him while they sat under the sunset. She sighed instead.

She waited until he turned away from the darkening horizon to give her his full attention. "What's the point of love in a shinobi's world?"

She watched his brow furrow for a second before his calm mask settled back on, but she still waited for him to respond. He didn't. Though if his silence wasn't answer enough, his apathetic gaze spoke plainly.

A rueful smile tugged at her lips. Who knew that such a simple question would prove to find the main difference between the man next to her and the man waiting for her to come home?

"Sorry, Sasuke, but my heart belongs to the man that loves me."


End file.
